Modern Warfare 2: Ramirez
by ReadyFireAimEmission
Summary: Honor. Duty. Family. Country. In a world at war, James Ramirez isn't just fighting for his country. This is his story, and his baptism of fire during the events of Modern Warfare 2.
1. Prologue

**Authors Note:** This is the short start of my Ramirez story. This is in no way shape or form related to Ramirez, do everything. That is an entire separate universe from this one. This is basically what happens (At least what I think) happens to Ramirez during Modern Warfare 2. Before, During, and After. Its just like the one im doing for Makarov except Ramirez is the main character. Enjoy and Review.

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The bright morning sun hit the tan skinned face of James Ramirez as he walked down the huge ramp of the large cargo plane. It was nice to finally get out of the thing, as it was hot as hell with the number of people and space. Anyone who had claustrophobia would have definitely preferred a different means of transportation other then what he had to endure, but it was worth it if it got him out of his home and on to better things.

He was still thinking about his home, his family and friends, and everyone he had known all his life. He had gone from a known face to a stranger just from an airplane trip across the country. He hadn't made any friends on the way over, and he didn't recognize anyone. He felt like a fish out of water, someone who didn't fit, didn't belong.

"Next!"

Ramirez quickly jerked his head up to see he was next in line. He quickly stepped up to the army officer and presented his bag and ID.

"Your name son?" The officer asked in a strong southern accent.

"James Ramirez sir." Ramirez replied.

The officer just shook his head. "I'm afraid that isn't how its done around here."

Ramirez gave the man a confused look. "What do you mean?"

He just sighed and shook his head. "Don't they teach you anything? Its name, rank, serial number."

Ramirez thought back to his brief training in basic. He had learned and remembered the physical aspects well enough, but it was always the tiny details that always got him into trouble.

"Im sorry sir." Ramirez apologized .

"Don't say sorry, say it right." The officer replied.

Ramirez stiffened up and recited his information to the officer. "Ramriez, James. Private, 19141367."

The man scanned his ID and gave him his papers. "There you go. Report to staging area 182B Private." He looked behind Ramirez to the line of soldiers behind him. "Next!"

Ramirez took his ID and stuffed it back in his pocket. For the first time all of a sudden, he started to feel homesick. When he first traveled over to the east coast, he never thought he would get homesick. He just assumed he would be to busy to worry about stuff like that. Now in the hustle and high level of activity on the Air Force base, Ramirez started to miss his home.

His missed his family, he missed his friends, his missed his girlfriend, his missed even his neighborhood. Everything that had made up his life, was now miles and miles away.

It was too late now. He had thought long and hard about it, but it was his final decision.

It was of his own accord.

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Alright, its short, but its only a prologue, so keep that in mind. Also realize that this isn't gonna get updated until I finish one of my other stories, so its gonna be on the backburner till then. Nevertheless, I hope you look foward to it. Please Rate and Review/Favorite/Alert


	2. Dunn

Ramirez continued down the tarmac at a brisk pace, clutching his bag in one hand, his identification papers in the other. The sun was batting down on the open runway, making the area feel like a concrete desert, with no end in sight.

"182B....182B...." Ramirez said to him self as he looked at the signs placed in front of the vacant hangars that lined the tarmac. He kept looking as he walked, but still couldn't find 182B.

Ramirez stopped and sighed, panning the area in frustration. "Where the hell is-

He paused to see a large 182B emblazoned on a sign next to a large hanger.

"Oh." Ramirez said quietly to himself. He turned and began to walk towards the entrance of the large hanger. _"Must have missed 'that'..._

He quickly entered the hangar to escape the bright sun, glad to be in a much cooler climate. He didn't mind a little heat, but after the long plane ride over, he gladly welcomed a bit of fresh air.

He panned the inside of the hangar and surveyed his surroundings. Men were talking to one another in groups, waiting for their CO's to arrive. Some were sitting against the walls or on green cots. Others were simply standing, or leaning against the hangar side. Others were gathered around in groups, watching the news or listening to the radio.

News. If anything, news was bad for them. It had happened so quickly that it appeared to be a whirlwind to him. One minute, two superpowers were at peace, then next, in bitter and heated tension.

He didn't pay attention to it at first, but since he was in the army reserves, and the tension caused an influx for the need of soldiers, the worlds news soon became his future. A letter was sent to his home and before he knew it, he was here, awaiting orders and being put on stand by. It didn't take an genius to figure out what was going on here.

We were actually contemplating total war with Russia. He couldn't imagine it happening. A war against the Russian Federation? Things like that were left to Hollywood movies, not in real life. But ever since the incident in Moscow, and the link between us and the attack, the stage was set for just a scenario.

Ramirez shook his head as he walked further into the hangar. _"I can't believe its coming to this..."_

He found his way back to the farthest corner of the hangar, well far from anyone else. He didn't want to deal with the awkwardness of approaching a group of men and trying to start a conversation. He would just find a corner and sit by himself, at least until his commanding officer arrived.

His eyes found a corner with a small TV on top of a supply crate. He slowly approached it, drawn to the sound of the news broadcast. He dropped his bags to the ground and stood in front of the small screen, listening to a female reporter.

"....Russian President Boris Vorshevsky has issued his response on the "Zakhaev International Airport attack" that occurred earlier today." The female reported said.

The screen shot to the Russian president, Boris Vorshevsky, addressing the Russian nation and its people.

"It is a sad age we live in when our brothers to the west resort to such barbaric actions." Vorshevsky proclaimed, staring into the camera. "The attacks that occurred today were the work of schemers and conspirators against the Russian people."

"These identity of these conspirators are none other then the American government and its people!" Vorshevsky declared.

Ramirez watched as Vorshevsky continued his speech. "Our investigative offices have found undeniable proof of American involvement with the extremist Vladimir Makarov, and aided in his attack."

Vorshevsky narrowed his eyes at the camera. "I can promise you, that this will not be overlooked. Those responsible will pay dearly for this tragedy."

Ramirez shook his head. He refused to believe such words, even if they did have proof behind them. It didn't add up. Would could America possibly gain in aiding Vladimir Makarov?

"Hey, you make a better door then a window."

Ramirez wheeled around to see a solider laying down on a cot behind him, laying down in a lazy fashion. Ramirez didn't even notice him.

"Oh sorry." Ramirez apologized, getting out of the way. "I didn't know you-

"Whatever..." The soldier replied, clearly not caring. He tilted his head up to see the TV.

"Not that there's anything good on anyway..." He sighed, tilting his head to stare that the television.

"What's your name?" Ramirez asked, leaning against the metal wall close to where the soldier was laying.

He raised an eyebrow and looked up at Ramirez briefly, before glancing back towards the TV.

"Dunn." He answered as he watched the television. "Jake Dunn."

"James." Ramirez introduced himself. "James Ramirez."

"So, are you a regular or you from one of the reserves." He asked.

"Reserves." Ramirez answered.

"Oh." Dunn replied quietly. "I see..."

Ramirez looked at him and sighed. He should have known. This guy was one of the soldiers that had been shipped over from Afghanistan. Being in the reserves, Ramirez only knowledge of war was watching it on the evening news. This guy had actually been over and actually experienced it, while Ramirez had done nothing. Now he was already being viewed as a greenhorn.

"Well anyway James, welcome to paradise." Dunn said, stretching his arms. "We're its always hot, boring, and pretty much nothin else."

"So you've just been sitting here, watching the news?" Ramirez asked.

"What the hell else am I going to do?" Dunn replied, turning his head up to Ramirez. "I guess I could mix it up and stare at the ceiling for a change."

Ramirez smiled and turned back to the news report, which the female reporter was still talking about the attack.

"...Many reports have been sketchy, but Russian Chief Inspector Dmitri Yuran says his office has full evidence in United States implication in the attack." The reporter said. "Chief Inspector Yuran hasn't taken questions regarding the attack, but we should be expect to hear from him, as well as other investigative offices regarding the attack."

"Man, listening to the shit makes me want to break something." Dunn spat, glaring at the TV. "All this is is some patriotic bull..."

"Ever the diplomat Corporal..."

Ramirez and Dunn looked around to see an African American man standing behind them, arms crossed and smiling.


	3. Foley

Ramirez carefully studied the man standing before him and Dunn. He was definitely older then him and Dunn, and was clad differently then then him and Ramirez. He wore a delta style helmet, unique from the one he had been issued, as well as his difference in rank. He had dark toned skin and dark brown eyes to match. Just looking into them, Ramirez could tell that they were experienced. This man had seen combat, there was no doubt about it.

But yet, he didn't seem like a man experienced in warfare at all. He wasn't tired or fatigued, but rather inviting. He seemed like the person that no matter what happened to him, he would always keep his chin up, even when the going was though. It was something Ramirez wasn't expecting to see in a veteran soldier.

"Sarge!" Dunn exclaimed, quickly getting off of his cot to greet the man. Ramirez was surprised by Dunn's quick and sudden action. Here he thought the guy was always laid back and relaxed, never raising a finger when he didn't have to. But now he had quickly gone from snoozing on a cot and watching TV to greeting this man in a flash.

"Corporal." The man greeted politely, giving a small nod. "How its going with stand by orders?"

Dunn raised his arms, looking around the hangar and back at the green cot and TV.

"Standing by." Dunn replied with a small. The man couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle.

"I swear, the orders we get sometimes...." He said, shaking his head. "It makes you wonder...."

The sergeant looked up to recognize Ramirez, and gave a polite smile.

"And who might you be?" The man asked, waiting expectantly for an answer.

Ramirez quickly stiffened up at the question, saluting the man and standing as straight as he could.

"Ramirez, James. Private, 1714-

"Easy." The man said smiling, putting his hands out to calm Ramirez down. "I'm only a Sergeant, not the damn President..."

"Oh." Ramirez said, putting his hand back to his side and relaxing. "Sorry, I didn't mean-

"Foley." The sergeant greeted, holding out his hand. "Sergeant Foley. But Foley is just fine. And don't worry about it."

Ramirez slowly shook his hand, confused that he was greeting him as if the two were long friends, rather then his superior. It was something he didn't expect to find in the army. Everything from basic and movies gave him the idea that the army was a single, highly trained unit with strict schedules and even stricter superiors. He had figured that everything was quick salutes and quick answers. It was a refreshing and pleasant surprise to him.

"Um, its Ramirez." Ramirez replied, shaking the Sergeant's hand. "Private James Ramirez."

"Well, pleasure to meet you." Foley replied with a warm smile.

"So, what did Colonel Marshall say?" Dunn asked, leaning up against the wall.

"Still the same thing as it was two hours ago." Foley answered. "All units, are on-

"-a 24 hour stand by until further notice, blah blah blah what a surprise." Dunn finished in a boring and sarcastic tone. He shook his head and groaned. "I swear, if I sit here for another two hours..."

"So what do you want me to do about it?" Foley asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms.

Dunn opened his mouth to speak, but stopped abruptly, creating an awkward pause between the three men. He dropped his head and sighed in defeat.

"Nothing..." Dunn said quietly, giving up and returning back to the T.V. "It isn't like I should be surprised, considering all the action we're getting..."

"I can fix that." Foley said, picking up the remote and turning off the Dunn's television.

"Hey!"

"You want something to do?" Foley asked, approaching Dunn. "Then why don't you help me check the humvees, that should keep you busy."

Dunn grumbled but reluctantly got to his feet and grabbed his bag, flinging it over his shoulder and heading towards the tarmac.

"Well, lets get this over with sarge. The sooner the better." Dunn said in a boring tone.

He turned back over to Ramirez, a small smirk on his face.

"Nice to meet ya James, but some of us have work to do." Dunn said, walking off towards the exit. "See ya later."

"I wouldn't be to certain of that."

Dunn froze, causing him to look back at Foley in suspicion.

"What do you mean by that?" Dunn asked, slowly walking back to the two.

Ramirez was just as surprised. He still had to find his unit, which he was still waiting for his commanding officer arrive. Unless he was by some long odds that he was in the same unit as Dunn, then the only reason that he would say such a thing....

Ramirez's eyes suddenly widened. _"He couldn't mean what I think he's saying?!?........Could he?....."_

Foley seemed to read his exact thoughts. He looked back at him, still wearing his same warm smile.

"Welcome to Hunter 2-1," Foley said, walking towards the Hangar entrance. "Private James Ramirez."

Ramirez stood as still and in just a state of surprise as Dunn. He couldn't believe it. Against all odds, this man was his superior. He had been anxious to find out who was in his unit, the types of people he would meet. He was worried that he would get a hardass commander that would take no crap from no one, including Ramirez.

Instead, he had something else. He had a hard working honest superior, and a lazy Corporal who complained about everything. And the weird thing was, that he wouldn't want it any other way. It was like he was meant to be with in Foley's unit. It just felt natural to him.

"Well?" Foley called, looking at Ramirez expectantly. "You coming James?"

Ramirez snapped out of his world of thoughts and quickly replied to the man.

"Yes sir!" Ramirez said, quickly retrieving his bag and catching up with Foley. Whether they would go to war or not, these were the men that he was going to serve next to. And just like he told himself.

He wouldn't have it any other way.

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	4. Call to Duty

_"Soldiers of the Russian Federation, today you will start on what will be one of the greatest journeys of your lives. It will be a date in which you will remember forever. You will tell your children, and they will tell their children of what you did on this day. You and I have a rendezvous with history, in which you will write history forever. You have worked hard and tirelessly during the hardships. You have weathered the hard times and trials that have come before you. You have pursued your goals, and achieved your dreams. You should be proud of what you are, and the journey your about to embark on."_

_"The road will be long, and the trials will be many. But I know that with your will, nothing can stand against you. No mountain too steep, no challenge too great. You are a proud soldier of the Russian Federation, and I am proud to be your leader."_

_"May God watch over you in this time of conflict, and may he comfort you through your trials and tribulations." _

_-President Boris Vorshevsky_

Private Aleksandr Sevanko of the 94th Guards Airborne Division continued to read the small piece of paper given to him before takeoff. It was only one of many mass produced responses from President Vorshevsky given to the troops before they had taken off from the carrier. He wondered how many were truly inspired by the small letter, despite the fact that it was probably written by a typist in Moscow rather then the President himself. Either way, it wouldn't change his mind about going to war.

He continued to sit in silence among the dozens of men around him, all thinking about the same thing. Everything was dark and still inside the plane. The only source of light was that of the red jump lights hanging around the ceiling. It created an atmosphere that was fitting for the moment.

He was staring at the red and black camouflaged uniform he was wearing, studying the pattern imprinted on the coat. He adjusted the small tan scarf around his neck, trying to loosen it in an attempt to make him feel more comfortable.

He remember his mother giving him that scarf before he had left. It wasn't fancy or expensive, but rather homemade and cheap. He didn't care. He always knew what his mother would say about cheap things anyway.

_"If it does its job, then its perfect! Looks have nothing to do with it!!"_

And she was exactly right. The scarf was made cheaply, but it would do its job fine, keeping any dust or debris from underneath his coat. It would also come in handy to protect his mouth from any harmful or dangerous fumes he would encounter.

But there was one thing the scarf was also good for, one which Aleksandr was fearing would never happen. It was probably his mother's fear when she made it too, but she knew the dangers from the beginning, and so did he.

He didn't want to have to use it to cover his or a comrade's wound with. The thought of the dark red blood stained against the tan fabric of the scarf was a sight he should have been all to prepared for, but he wasn't.

Months of training. Months of Preparation. Everything he had trained for was for this one moment. He never thought it would happen, but here he was, going off to fight in a foreign country.

What would happen? Would it be a swift victory just as promised, or a hard, long, bitter fight? Being only 21, he had never experienced the hell that was war, but that would change soon enough.

It was his duty to his county, and his duty as a soldier to defend his family from aggressors. And if America was the enemy, then he would fight against them. It was just that simple.

He sighed and crumpled the piece of paper into his fist and stuffed it back into his coat pocket. He was anxious to get off the plane. Jumping from the plane had become such a experience for him when he had first done it in training.

He was scared just like everyone else, but when he first stepped off into the sky, it felt like he was free. Nothing but open sky around him as his drifted downward, like a snowflake on a winter day.

But he knew he would feel much different jumping this time. It would feel different for everyone too...

The buzz of the planes intercom came on, causing everyone to look up in unison.

"Twenty minutes." The pilot said simply, and the intercom shut off just as soon as it had come on.

Aleksander took a deep breath and sighed. _"Only twenty minutes...Just twenty minutes until we jump...."

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	5. Thinking about Home

There was something different about the air as Ramirez walked down the tarmac close behind Sergent Foley and Corporal Dunn. It wasn't a bad feeling, but rather a feeling of relief. He had felt so out of place when he had left his home and traveled over, it made him feel even more alone. But now that he had made two new acquaintances, he felt much more comfortable and at home. The feeling of homesickness seemed to slowly melt away just like that.

"So what are we doing?" Ramirez asked Foley as they continued to walk down the tarmac.

Foley chuckled. "Waiting."

Ramirez raised an eyebrow. "That's it? Nothing important?"

"Not unless you do count waiting around." Dunn piped in. "At least I do in my opinion..."

Foley shook his head. "Good thing your opinion isn't fact..."

Dunn sighed. "If only it was...."

The three continued until they reached a parked group of tan Humvee, all lined up in a row in a orderly fashion. Judging from all the trash and garbage that littered the floor, it was clear that they were far from brand new, or well kept.

"Hey old girl." Dunn said, walking up to the humvee and patting the steel hood. "You miss me?"

Ramirez gave a confused look over to Foley, having no idea what Dunn was doing. Foley just smiled and shook his head.

"Thinks if he treats the Humvee with love and respect, it won't break down as often." Foley whispered as they continued to watch Dunn.

Ramirez sighed. "If only it actually worked..."

"Yep, if only." Foley replied, walking back behind Dunn. "But, unfortunately..."

He slammed his hand hard against the steel hood, causing Dunn to jump back in surprise from the explosion going off next to his ear.

"The hell?" Dunn asked angrily. "What are you thinking? Do you want to get us killed?"

"Superstition isn't going to save your life." Foley said simply. "But a little cleaning couldn't hurt your chances. So why don't you get to it?"

Dunn grumbled and trudged around the Humvee to the drivers side, getting down to pick up the pieces of trash that littered the floor. Foley just smiled and turned back to Ramirez.

"Give me your bag." Foley instructed, pointing to the tan duffel bag that hung from Ramirez shoulder.

"Okay." Ramirez said as he handed Foley his bag. "What for?"

Foley didn't answer. Instead, he just opened it up and began to go through his things.

"Hey, what are you doing!" Ramirez demanded.

"Doing you a favor." Foley replied as he continued to take items out of his bag. "Trust me, you'll thank me later."

"For what?"

"Most of this stuff, you'll never need." Foley said, now beginning to pull items out of his bag. "Just trust me."

Ramirez just sighed and gave up. He shouldn't argue with someone who was clearly more experienced then him, it would probably be the death of him. After all, he was doing him a favor...

He stepped into the humvee and sat down in the passenger seat, leaning back and letting the sun's rays hit his face. The heat and warmth felt good as he relaxed. It almost reminded him of home, despite being nearly hundreds of miles away. Just closing his eyes, it felt like he was back home.

He reached his hand down into his pocket, pulling out a small Polaroid picture. He held it up above him and looked at it. On it, was a picture of a girl. Dark, wavy hair, a bright smile, and beautiful dark eyes. Just looking at her caused him to crack a smile, even if it was only a small one. He had remembered to bring the picture with him, and now he was glad he done just that.

Ramirez just smiled to himself, thinking back to her as he continued to look at the picture of the girl. It just seemed like only minutes ago when he had last seen and talked to her.

"Whats this?"

Ramirez was taken off guard when the picture was suddenly snatched out of his hand. He quickly looked up to see Dunn holding the picture, panning over it with a smirk on his face.

He whistled. "Jeez, who is this?"

"Give it back." Ramirez demanded, making a grab for the picture.

Dunn moved the picture just out of his reach. "Don't be embarrassed, just tell me." He said with a grin on his face.

"No!" Ramirez yelled, starting to get annoyed. "It's none of your business!"

"Is she your sister?"

"No!"

"Mom?"

"Shut up Dunn!"

"Is she your girlfriend?"

There was a pause, Ramirez hesitating to give an answer. But that was all the answer Dunn needed.

"So she is your girlfriend!" Dunn said, holding the picture out to Ramirez. "I knew it!"

"Yes." Ramirez said quietly, snatching the picture back. "Happy?"

Dunn just shrugged. "Just wondering..." He said as he sat down in the drivers seat.

Ramirez panned over the photo, inspecting for any bents or creases in the picture. He sighed in relief, leaning back in his seat once he found that it was still in perfect condition.

He didn't want to show that he was homesick, even if it was only a little_. _He could only imag_i_ne what Dunn would say if he found out.

But for now, he could at least relax in the sun, sitting back and letting the sun's ray's hit him.

"So, what's her name?"

An annoyed look fell over Ramirez face. _"This is going to be a long boring day..."

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_

_"Dear Mother and Alena, I am writing this entry in near pitch black, so forgive me if my handwriting is poor. I know the importance of good handwriting, but I figured this might be the last chance I get to write before we jump..."  
_

_"The entire company is silent, no one makes a sound as we continue to fly above God knows what. I don't know if their thoughts are the same as mine, but there is no doubt about that they are thinking about the same thing...."_

_"I am nervous, not just about what might happen to me, but what might happen to the others as well. I have trained and lived along side these men for months now, and they have become close to me as brothers. We will fight together and if it is necessary, die together...."_

_"They say that we will catch them off guard, and that this war will be a swift victory. But I know that this is just a lie, we all know that. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the road ahead will be anything but smooth..."_

_"The invasion is beginning to have an effect on even of the many of the commanding officers and even high ranking officials in are company. General Federov was his normal silent self, but he seemed quieter then usual, as if he was trying to avoid something. It seemed to be the same for Colonel Sedusky too. He wasn't out visiting the company like usually did everyday, or walking around either like his normal self. Even he couldn't find anything to say. Even Major Petrov couldn't act like his normal. His usual angry outbursts were absent this morning, only reminding us of the seriousness of what was about to happen. It seemed to effect everyone._

_"I myself feel different. I don't feel nervous. I don't feel scared. I just feel empty, like as if my story has already been written for me, and I'm just following it. I don't know what will happen to me, and I don't want to know. But I promise you, I will come home after all this is over. I promise."_

_"I love you and I hope to see you soon."_

_-Private Aleksandr Sevanko, Diary entry #13_

Aleksandr Sevanko sighed and closed his small diary, tucking back into his coat pocket. He had promised himself to write to his family during all this. He found peace in writing, even if it was during war. Just writing about his thoughts offered some comfort, even if it was only a little.

He was still anxious, just waiting for the sound of the intercom to come back on to signal them to get ready to jump. Even after all the training, he still felt nervous. But just looking around at the others, he could tell that they were feeling the same. It was just natural at this point.

"You ready?" A voice whispered, causing him to glance over at the man sitting next to him.

Aleksandr nodded, turning to the man. "Yes Sergeant."

The man just nodded. "Remember everything I've taught you. It will keep you alive."

Aleksandr nodded again in reply. "I will."

Graying hair and a slightly aging face, Sergeant Sergei Kazaksolov was the man he had relied to teach him everything. He had taught him not about war, but survival. He believed that what war was, just a game of survival. And if you didn't know how to survive, you didn't know how to fight. And if you didn't know how to fight, you were a dead man.

That was Kazaksolov's or Kaz's logic. He insisted on being called Kaz, claiming it was a waste of time to say his entire last name. Aleksandr admitted that he did have a point, and he as well as the other soldiers in his company had called and knew him as Kaz.

He knew everything Kaz had taught was invaluable information. Everything he had taught him was practical, being extremely useful during the right time. Just little things like, how to hold your bayonet, or how to use your helmet and boots to store items. It was just little things like that that could make a difference in war, and he had learned it all from Kaz.

"Do you think it's going to be an easy victory?" Aleksandr asked, wondering what Kaz was thinking about.

Kaz just shook his head. "It won't. There never is an 'easy victory."

Aleksandr sighed, staring back up at the red jump light, anxiously waiting for it to turn green.

_"There never is an easy victory is war..." _He silently thought to himself. He didn't know how long he would last, but he was determined that he wouldn't go down without a fight.

He closed his eyes, listening to the dull roar of the plane's engine as they continued towards the American coast.

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	6. Recruitment

The dull roar of the engine continued as Sevanko sat in silence, twiddling his fingers and waiting for the word when they where to jump. He had been counting every minute that past, trying to keep himself occupied as they continued to travel closer and closer to their destination: America.

It had been such a long time since he had first joined up with the 94th, but it seemed like it was only yesterday he was out on the training grounds, going through drills and practicing the basics of war.

The training had changed him, both physically and mentally. He was stronger, faster, and more determined then ever. He had learned more things in his short time at the Frunze Military Academy then he could have possibly imagined. It was a place that transformed you. It took you from being a civilian and shaped you into a soldier. And the training they implemented was very effective at doing just that.

But no amount of training could prepare you for the real thing. Only experiencing the reality of war was the only way you could learn the final lesson: Live and Death.

It is a fine line. One minute you could be talking with your friends, the next, half of them could be dead, including you. Just the thought of the person next to you being killed in the next few minutes was enough to unnerve anyone. Anyone that hadn't been probably trained that is...

He had his training. He had Kaz to rely on. He had his instincts. He had his life. He knew that the next few days would also change him as well, again both physically and mentally. And this time, he knew it would be forever.

It only seemed like yesterday when there was a time when he was just a young kid. A regular 21 year old boy on the streets of Moscow, no path or goals, just drifting through life. He could remember all that had happened on that day, when his made his choice to join up with the military. It was something he would probably never forget...

* * *

_One Year Ago...._

_Moscow, Russia_

Bright lights and loud music were the only things Aleksandr Sevanko could see or hear as he sat at a bar, watching as nearly dozens of people were enjoying themselves, laughing and drinking. Many had been drinking for the past hour, and they looked like they weren't going to stop anytime soon. He could only imagine how drunk they were going to be in the next hour if they kept up this pace up.

He had come in the same bar countless times, and he had grown accustomed to seeing the usual people walk in. But there was something different this night. What surprised Sevanko was the fact nearly half the bar was filled with similar looking people. They were all dressed in clean, sharp military attire, new recruits by the looks of them. They were all wearing the same dress pants, dress shirt, tie and hat. All in uniform, yet they continued to drink and drink.

Sevanko shook his head. _"Looks like the military is hard at work today....." _He thought to himself, looking on as the young recruits continued to drink and party._  
_

"Some week, huh?"

Aleksandr Sevenko glanced over to a young man sitting in a bar stool next to him, a small smirk across his face.

"Hey, Pavel!" Sevanko exclaimed, surprised to see his friend and former classmate. "I thought you had work!"

"So did I..." Pavel said as he motioned to the bartender for a drink. "But the old hag had the shop closed today."

The bartender soon returned with an icy cold drink, and Pavel took it, taking a long swig before setting the glass back down and sighed, lying back in relaxation.

"So." Pavel started, staring at his glass.

"So what?" Sevanko asked, looking at Pavel in confusion.

"So, who is she?" Pavel asked, waiting for an answer.

Sevanko gave him a weird look. "What are you talking about?"

Pavel motioned behind Sevanko, causing him to glance over his shoulder. Behind him sitting a chair was a young girl, sitting silently at the bar, holding a glass of water. She was staring off into the distance, like she was deep in thought.

The first thing that caught his attention about her was what she was wearing. She was dressed in the same uniform as everyone else who was with the military in the bar, same markings and everything. Judging by what he had seen, she was probably the only few sober people here, let alone the bartender and himself.

"What about her?" Sevanko asked. "You think I know her?"

"Well, why else is she sitting next to you?" Pavel said in a low voice.

"Jeez, I don't know, maybe because this is a public bar!" Sevanko said sarcastically. "Just because someone sits next to you doesn't necessary mean you know them."

"Well, I can change that." Pavel replied, getting out of his stool.

Sevanko watched as he took his and another drink around his seat and towards the young recruit sitting next to him.

Sevanko groaned and rolled his eyes. _"Not again...."_

"Hey!" Pavel greeted, a cheesy smile on his face. "I notice you didn't have a drink!"

The young girl looked up at him in confusion, as if she didn't know that he was talking to her.

"Here!" Pavel said, offering her the drink. "Its on me."

She politely smiled. "No thanks." She said, turning down his offer. "I don't drink."

"Oh...I see..." Pavel said, taking an open seat next to her, causing her to shift uncomfortably in her stool. "And what do you 'do'...Exactly...Miss..."

"Its Sonya." She answered, turning away. "I'm a helicopter pilot."

"Oh, so you fly attack helicopters!" Pavel said, a smile on his face. "Death from above?"

"Actually, its transport." She replied, still trying to avoid him. "Sorry to disappoint."

"Its fine." Pavel said, giving her a look, causing her even less comfort. "With curves and a body like that-

"What my friend is trying to say!" Sevanko said in a panic tone, cutting him off abruptly and quickly getting between the two of them. "Is that he is honored to have meet you and we are grateful for your service to our county! Thank you and sorry for wasting your time!"

Sonya smiled politely. "Not at all, um..."

Sevanko waited for her to finish, but she was instead waiting for him. He didn't know what she was even waiting for.

"Your name?" She asked, still waiting.

"Oh!" Sevanko said, trying to recover. "My name is Aleksandr Sevanko."

"Aleksandr Sevanko." She repeated, smiling to herself.

"Or just Alek for short." He added, scratching his head.

She nodded. "Well 'Alek' Sevanko. It was nice to meet you and your friend."

"My name's Pavel Ras-

"It was nice to meet you to Sonya." Sevanko replied, cutting Pavel off before his embarrassed himself even more. It was bad enough he was drunk, even worse when he was trying to hit on a girl, let alone one that was in the military. But he had seen him do worse.

"Hey, Sonya!"

Sevanko and Pavel turned to see three large men, all wearing the same military uniform as the rest of their comrades. They walked up to Sonya, glaring at Pavel and Sevanko.

"These two aren't giving you any trouble, are you?" The recruit asked, looking over at them.

Sonya let out a small laugh. "Please, its nothing I haven't dealt with before."

Pavel smirked. "I bet you haven't dealt with someone like me before..." He said in a dirty tone. Sevanko rolled his eyes.

"Hey, street trash!" The man said, glaring at Pavel. "You better go back to your dumpster if you know whats best for you."

"Oh relax General Stalin, it was a joke." Pavel said sarcastically, turning around back to his drink.

The man grabbed Pavel's shoulder and swing him around back to face him, causing Pavel to smirk and jeer at the man.

"In case you haven't noticed, there's only one of you..." The recruit said sharply. "And three of us."

"Well, why don't you get some of your friends, and then we'll be on even playing field." Pavel said with a smirk, turning back to his drink.

The man grabbed Pavel shoulder again and this time raised his fist, striking Pavel hard across the face. The entire bar fell silent as everyone watched Pavel dropped his drink and fall to the ground, knocked out cold before his even knew what hit him.

"What are you doing!" Sonya shrieked, looking at the man in complete shock..

It only took a split second for Sevanko to leap out of his chair and take action. He swung his fist hard at the recruit, catching him off guard and causing him to stumble back in pain. It didn't take long for his two friends to join in and they were soon thrown into the fray, chairs and tables being knocked over as the fight continued.

Sevanko kicked one of them square in the chest, and turned to face the other. But a sharp pain blew across his face as one of the recruits landed a hard blow across his cheek. He feel to the ground, the inside of his mouth bleeding.

A sharp kick was delivered to his side, followed quickly by one to his chest, and then finally his face. The blows had knocked almost all the wind out of him, and he was on the verge of blacking out. He looked up to see Sonya yelling at the men in anger.

"Guys that's enough!" She shouted, trying to get them to stop, but it was to no avail. The men continued to kick and beat Sevanko, each blow causing more pain through his body.

"Guys he's had enough!" She yelled, the men continuing to beat and kick. The pain was overwhelming, he could hardly breathe as more and more blows collided with his side.

A sharp whistle caused every one to freeze and stop what they were doing, including the three men beating up Sevanko. He looked up to see not just them, but all the recruits standing straight stiff and all in silence. Sevanko looked to see a man standing in the middle of the bar, looking at everyone in silent anger. His gaze alone was enough to silence them, as he looked carefully around at all the recruits in the bar.

Not a single person moved, including Sonya. They were all staring at the man. He was wearing a military uniform, but this one was different. It had the markings of an officer, and a high ranking one by the looks of it. His uniform and age told Sevenko that he was definitely not a recruit.

"Outside." The man said sharply. "Now!"

There was a shuffle off feet as every recruit got up out of their chairs and proceeded to the exit. Sevanko watched as the man walked up to him. He had graying hair and pale green eyes. His age was beginning to show, but he could tell that he had influence over the others, the look in his face was enough to tell him that this man had experience.

The officer leaned down and offered him a handkerchief.

"Are you alright son?" The man asked, handing him the handkerchief.

Sevanko rubbed his head in pain, whipping the blood off his face with the white cloth.

"Been better..." He replied, cracking a weak smile.

The man smiled, shaking his head. He grabbed Sevanko gently by the armed and helped him to his feet.

* * *

"How do you view yourself?"

"I don't know Colonel Sedusky." Sevanko replied, taking another pain killer and rubbing his the blood from his forehead. "How do you view me?"

"Well, I see young man." The Colonel replied. "Someone who doesn't look like they have a set plan for their life."

Sevanko just looked away, shifting in his chair and trying to avoid his eyes. Ever since he had graduated from school, he had always helped out in his mother's flower shop. The pay was good enough for him and he was helping out his family's business, as well as being with his family. His future hadn't been his main topic of thought.

"What makes you think I need a plan?" Sevanko asked.

"Well, I don't know you well enough, but I know you want something more then what you have." Colonel Sedusky replied. "You don't want to live like this for the rest of your life. You could have an higher education, a higher paying job. You could start a family, start your own-

"What makes you think I want that?" Sevanko asked, starting to get annoyed. "Why do you think everyone should go to college, go to law school? What makes you think that's what I want?"

"Well, I don't know." Colonel Sedusky replied simply. "Is it what you want?"

Sevanko opened his mouth to retort, but stopped himself, thinking about the Colonel's words. He wanted more then this. He loved his family, but he wanted to branch out. He wanted to experience more then just his little corner of the world in Moscow. He wanted more then what he had.

"Enlist in the Airborne." Colonel Sedusky said, shocking Sevanko.

"What?" Sevanko asked, not believing what the Colonel had just said.

"Enlist." He repeated, his entire face serious, only telling Sevanko he had meant what he had said.

Sevanko just shook his head. "Look, if your just trying to meet your recruiting quota, then-

"Your not a dumb kid Aleksandr." Colonel Sedusky said, staring intently at Sevanko. "Enlist now, and I can guarantee you it will put you on a strong track and help pay for college. You can be an enlisted soldier ready for any active duty in under three months, you can be an officer in nine-

"Are we done?" Sevanko said, crossing his arms. He wasn't going to fall for this. He knew that this man was just throwing him a pitch for a product, and he was the item for sale. He wasn't that easily fooled.

The Colonel just stared at himself before politely nodding. "I'm done."

The Colonel rose from his chair, grabbing his coat from his chair and putting it on, preparing to exit the bar.

"Did you know I knew your father?" Colonel Sedusky asked, causing Sevanko to look up in surprise.

Colonel Sedusky smiled, looking off to the distance. "I was a pilot a long time a ago, and so was he..."

Sevanko didn't need to hear the story, he knew his father's past all to well. He was to young to remember him anyway. The only memory he had was when his mother had found out about his demise.

They had told through letter that he had bravely fought and died, saving countless lives by sacrificing himself. He hadn't remembered the whole story, or what had exactly happened on that day. The only thing he did remember was that he had been killed in action. That's all he had retained over the years.

"Your father died trying to save others." Colonel Sedusky continued, reaching into his pocket.

The colonel placed an envelope and a small metal pendent on the table. The pendent was shaped into an eagle's talon. Emblazoned over the top in red was 94th Guards Airborne Division. The same symbol was stamped onto the side of the envelope as well, no doubt the unit's insignia.

"Your father saved my life as well as countless others." Colonel Sedusky said, looking down at Sevanko.

"I dare you to do better." He challenged before he pushed his chair back in a walked out of the bar.

Sevanko picked up the metal pendent and held it in front of his face, spinning it in front of him. He looked down at the envelope, imprinted on the front was an address, as well as a name.

Sevanko sent down the pendent and sighed. He did want to get out of this place. Jobs were hard to come by and working at his mother's shop could only provide so much. As much as he wanted to stay with them, he couldn't unless he wanted to complete his goals.

If it meant joining the military, then he would have no choice. He knew it would be tough, but no one said life was going to be easy. It was a no pain no gain philosophy.

Sevanko looked at the address and stuffed the envelope into his pocket, promising to himself to meet the Colonel again the next day.

* * *

The red light suddenly came on next to the door, causing everyone to look up towards it. Sevanko as well as everyone knew what the light meant. It was the one thing they had been anxiously waiting for.

It was time to jump.

* * *

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	7. Rendezvous with Destiny

Every was staring up at the red light, waiting for the final order that was soon to follow. It was now only seconds now, just seconds before the first orders would be issued. The first order to finally get ready to jump.

He looked over to his left. Kaz wasn't staring at the light. He was staring directly ahead, waiting in silence for the first order to be given. Sevanko knew this wasn't Kaz's first time jumping into combat, but he couldn't help but wonder wonder if he was thinking about what would happen in the next ten minutes just like he was, and what would soon happen to him.

He looked over to his right. Pavel Rascov was doing the same thing everyone else was. Staring up at the red jump light, twiddling his fingers and waiting just like everyone else was. Sevanko was surprised he had enlisted just as soon as he had. Someone with no motivation and an urge to do nothing was the last traits the military looked for in a soldier, and Pavel had them.

Sevanko couldn't comprehend how he did it, but Pavel made it though the harsh training just like the others, all the way through. Sevanko didn't know why he had become so suddenly motivated to complete the training, but he had a hunch that he had to do with him not wanting to go back to the Moscow streets by himself. If Sevanko tried to leave, then Pavel would follow. He did even talk to any officer or recruiter, he just asked to sign a paper and his signature was on the dotted line instantly.

Sergei Kazaksolov. Pavel Rascov. These two were now his brothers in arms. He didn't know what would happen to them, what they would face, who would live, and who would die. These questions were simply impossible to answer. The only thing that mattered was staying alive. Everyone would rely on one another for support. Sevanko would rely on Kaz and Pavel, and they would rely on him. What ever happened, the three would look after each other and do what ever it took to survive.

A sharp whistle pierced the air, causing everyone to look over at the source. A man was standing underneath the jump light, clad in an officer's uniform, a paratrooper jacket over it. Sevanko knew very well the man was, as well as everyone else in the company. He never forgot the talk he had with him in the bar, and how it got him to where he, and Pavel were right now. It was Colonel Norman Sedusky.

Colonel Sedusky raised his arms. "Stand up!"

Every one stood up in one sharp motion, each in perfect unison.

"Face the door!" Sedusky barked. Everyone spun and snapped towards the back of the plane to the flight door, again in perfect sync.

"Check your equipment!" Colonel Sedusky ordered. Everyone looked down at their equipment, making sure everything was secure and ready for use. Sevanko quickly checked over his.

His rifle, a state of the art Ak-47 with a holographic sight attached to the top. His side arm, a small PSM tucked into his side pocket. His chute, his reserve chute, medical supplies, his knife, munitions bag, flashlight, and three days rations. He had made sure he had everything before he had boarded and quickly double checked it to make sure he was ready for the jump.

"Sound off!"

Men started to list off their numbers, followed by a loud yell from each.

"17 okay!"

"16 okay!"

Sevanko listened and waited, the count got closer and closer to him until it was finally Kaz's turn to sound off.

"14 okay!" Kaz shouted behind him.

"13 okay!" Sevanko yelled, sounding off.

"12, Okay!" Pavel shouted as soon as he had finished.

Each men continued to sound off, each number getting smaller and smaller until the count reached Colonel Sedusky.

"Two okay!"

"One okay!" Colonel Sedusky yelled, finishing the count.

Everyone stood in silence, still waiting and watching the red jump light. No one had any idea if they were over their target or not. No one knew what was going to happen once they jumped. Everyone just stood waiting and watching.

"This jump is one for the history books gentlemen!" Sedusky said, looking over at everyone. "Remember your training, and remember your orders! I'll see you on the ground!"

He brought his hand up to his forehead and saluted the men, nodding to them.

"God be with you."

There was a sound of turning gears and a loud screech of metal. Sevanko watched as the large flight door in front of them slowly began to open, causing bright light and a cool rush of air to flood into the cargo plane.

Sevanko looked out to see land flying below them. American land, dotted with houses and lined with streets. He couldn't believe it. They were over the United States, getting ready to jump into combat.

"Get ready to jump!" Colonel Sedusky ordered, shouting over the loud volume of air gusting outside.

Each man put a hand on the shoulder of the soldier in front of them. Sevanko felt the firm grip of Kaz's hand on his shoulder. He reached up and tightly grabbed Pavel's shoulder, and Pavel did the same to soldier in front of him.

Sevanko could hear the roar of the planes engine, the gusts of air only feet away. He glanced up at the red jump light, waiting for it to finally turn green.

Seconds turned to minutes. Minutes into hours. Time itself seem to slow down and there was a eerie silence as everyone waited for the signal. Sevanko watched as the jump light slowly flashed from red, to bright green. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. It was time to jump, they were all ready.

"Go, Go Go!" Colonel Sedusky yelled, motioning solders down the ramp.

Sevanko watched as the first man walked down the ramp and stepped off. He vanished, and the next soldier in line followed suit. Sevanko began to walk forward, the number of men in front of him slowly beginning to get shorter and shorter.

Finally it was Pavel's turn. Sevanko let go of his shoulder and watched him walk down the ramp. He saw his foot step off and he soon fell out of sight.

It was now his turn. The wind was gusting all around him, drowning out every sound around him. He felt Kaz's grip loosen and his slowly stepped down the ramp.

Imagines from home flashed before him. His mother, working at the flower shop. His older sister Alena, going off to nursing school. Himself, walking into a bar and talking to a Airborne Colonel.

It was these people he would be fighting for. It was why he was here. Ever since that day in Moscow, ever since he had heard the news, and President Vorshevsky address the nation, he knew he would be apart of this conflict. He knew that this moment would eventually come, and it was finally here.

He didn't know what would happen, what he would see or experience, or if he would make it out alive in the end. All he knew that the great adventure of war was only just one step away.

Sevanko took the final step and felt it fall through empty space. He closed his eyes and felt himself fall into the open air. He felt the tug of the parachute open and he slowly began to drift towards the ground.

His journey through war, was about to begin.

* * *

James Ramirez and Jake Dunn were staring up at the sky, watching the clouds go by. Ramirez didn't know what time it was our how long they had been sitting there. To him it seemed like hours, and the way Dunn was trying to past the time, it wasn't making it go any faster.

"Kelly?" Dunn asked, still trying to guess his girlfriend's name.

"No." Ramirez replied, starting to get annoyed.

"Lydia?"

"No!"

"Katie?"

"No Dunn, Shut up!"

"Sarah?"

Ramirez opened his mouth to retort, but he hesitated and looked down at the picture of the young girl in he had in his hand. It seemed like a long time since he had last seen her, as well as many other familiar faces. He wondered how long it would be before he saw any of them again.

He looked over at Dunn, who was sitting in the drivers seat, a sly smirk on his face. The small hesitation Ramirez gave was all the answers Dunn needed.

"So her name is Sarah..." Dunn said, looking down at the photo.

Ramirez glared at him. "Congratulations." He said in a sarcastic tone.

Dunn closed his eyes and leaned back in the drivers seat, a triumphant smile on his face.

"Thank you, I try."

Ramirez rolled his eyes and stuck the picture into the side of the dash. Even though Dunn had won, it had kept him quiet, which was a victory for him as well.

"So whats her last name?" Dunn asked, causing Ramirez to sigh.

"Dunn, just give it a-

Ramirez was cut off by the sounds of sirens going off in the distance, causing him and Dunn to stop what they were doing and look around, trying to figure out the source of the noise.

_"Why are there sirens?" _Ramirez thought to himself, staring off to the distance.

"Dunn, what the hell is going on?" Ramirez asked, turning back to the corporal.

Dunn slowly shook his head in confusion. "I got nothing dude. Nothing at all."

"Has Colonel Marshall said anything about this?" Ramirez asked.

Dunn just continued to shake his head. "Not a word."

"Come on lets go!"

Dunn and Ramirez looked around to see the familiar figure of Sergent Foley, rushing towards the Humvee.

"Sarge, the hell is going on?" Dunn asked.

"Roger, were Oscar mike!" Foley said into his radio. Foley turned off his earpiece and looked over to Ramirez and Dunn.

"Mount up, lets go!" Foley ordered, getting into the Humvee.

"Sarge, what the hell?" Dunn asked again, his voice rising. "Whats going on!"

A loud streak flew over the airbase. Ramirez looked up to see three fighter planes streak overhead. Ramirez only saw just a second of them, but he instantly knew there was something different about them. They weren't the F-22's the air force flew. They were something else.

"Oh man..." Dunn said, looking up to the sky and shaking his head. "No, no, no, no,no..."

Ramirez couldn't believe it. It was something he would never of expected to see. He was certain it would never happen, never occur in his lifetime. But it was all unfolding in front of his eyes.

America was under attack. The Russian Federation was at war with United States.

* * *

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	8. Baptism of Fire

The world seemed to spin underneath him as Sevanko drifted to the earth, the wind blowing his parachute with impressive force. The gusts caused him to sway left and right in his like a child on playground swing.

The wind drowned out any audible sound around him. The only sound that could be faintly heard was the sound of the transport planes thundering above him, and even they could barely travel over the fierce gusts.

Sevanko strained his head down, trying to see where he was going to land. A maze of streets lay underneath him, slowly getting larger as he neared the ground. He tried to see if he could spot anyone on the ground, whether it be a fellow paratrooper or hostile, but the constant swaying from the wind made clear vision and focus next to impossible.

The ground was getting closer, now only dozens of yards away. Sevanko bent his legs, bracing himself and trying to steer towards a clear spot to land. He picked one of the many suburban back yards as his target, and guided himself in.

But as soon as he thought his course would stay straight, a sudden gust caught him off guard, sending him flailing violently like a ragdoll, unable to do anything against the overpowering force.

The gust was enough to send him well off his intended target, now hurtling him towards the one thing he wanted to avoid at all costs during the drop: A large oak tree.

"Common dammit!" Sevanko said to himself, yanking on the cord in an attempt to steer himself away from the approaching hazard. If anything, it was a vain attempt, one that even he knew would do him no good. Military parachutes were designed for two things: To deploy immediately, and to fall as fast as possible. Any type of steering was out of the question. He was already too close, no way he could avoid it now. He brought his legs up quickly and grasped his arms tightly, bracing himself for the impact that was to come.

One of the many important lessons learned at the academy was just for this kind of situation, and Sevanko could remember exactly what the instructor told all of them that day, and he had no problem in being blunt.

_"If it does happen, and trust me, it will, the only piece of advice I can offer you is this: Brace yourself, close your eyes, and take it like a man. Its going to hurt, its going to sting, and bitching about isn't going to help that. You are the elite. The best of the best. A little fall though the brush shouldn't even begin to phase you. And if you even have the slightest feeling that it might, then I can guarantee that this program is definitely not your calling..."_

As if that brought him any peace of mind. Or pain relief.

Sevanko's foot hit the first branch, causing it to crack and shatter upon impact. The branch barely stopped him as he continued into the think green brush, sticks and leaves cutting and spearing his entire body as he fell through the oak. Each time, a new and harsh pain was sent through him, causing him to swear under his breath.

He finally made it through the tree, but as soon as he was about to reach the ground, his harness jerked him up, causing him to stop abruptly, hanging just feet about the ground.

Sevanko cursed under his breath and sighed. The ground was so close, but the tree wasn't about to let him get off that easily, or without giving him another challenge to overcome.

Dangling, Sevanko reached for his combat knife and skillfully maneuvered it to his parachute cords. He then began to vigorously cut, trying to get out of the situation as soon as possible. He could hear sirens, and he didn't want to take any chances hanging in a tree like a sitting duck. The sooner, the better.

The sharp knife cut through the cord with ease, and in no time at all, only one final cord held him captive. Using all of his strength, Sevanko slashed for the final time, cutting the cord and sending him to the ground.

He hit the earth hard, landing on his front and palms. A sharp sting flew through his left hand, causing him to wince and close his palm in pain. As the pain settled, he carefully reopened them.

The sight of blood mixed with dirt sat in his palm, cut open in the fall. With not wanting to waste time, Sevanko brushed his hand on his combat fatigue, crudely 'cleaning' the wound. Using his good hand, he pulled his cheap gray scarf given by his mother and wrapped it around his wounded hand, making a primitive but effective bandaid. He could get it fixed up better by a field medic later.

He quickly turned to his equipment bag and dragged out his AK-47 rifle, loading it and bringing it to his side. Finally out of his parachute harness, he could freely observe everything around him.

The sounds of sirens and jets streaking above could be heard all around him, with the faint patter of gunfire in the distance. Sevanko watched in silent awe at the scene above him. Hundreds of men could be seen against a dark orange sky, falling and drifting to the ground like snowflakes on a winter day.

Watching the men instantly remind him of his situation. He was alone, in a foreign environment with no idea where he or his unit was.

Questions flashed through his head: Where was the rest of his unit? In the confusion of the drop, he hadn't followed were Pavel had landed, and he had no idea were Kaz or the rest of the unit was. He was alone, during one of the greatest military invasions of the century .

He couldn't stay here, or alone. The first step was to regroup and link up with anyone as soon as possible. Sevanko looked to the sky, trying to see another fellow paratrooper land close to him. He looked to see a lone man land in a yard just a few meters away other side of a wooden fence.

Sevanko gathered up his equipment and quickly started off, trying to find away around to the other side. It was till he was running when he realizing where he was.

He was in the United States of America, invading a now hostile nation, thousands of miles away from his family and home, trying to get around a wooden fence.

He would definitely be righting about this in his diary.

* * *

The wind blew against Ramirez's face as Dunn continued to drive at a fast and steady pace down the airfield exit. He was paying attention to the others, or even himself. His focus was instead pointed upwards, his eyes glued to the sky.

Large transport planes could be seen overhead, thundering over the airfield. Off in the distance, Ramirez could see the faint sight of parachutes drifting down to earth, soldiers and vehicles attached. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was happening.

Ramirez looked above, watching a scene from what he thought only happened in Hollywood blockbusters: Rangers mounting into Humvees and falling into the transport column in front and behind him. Fighter jets streaked overhead, engaging and attacking targets. Helicopters and gunships hovered above them, circling ominously like vultures. All this, and all in his country.

Ramirez glanced over at Dunn sitting in the driver's seat. He didn't have a bored expression on his face, but a look of concern as he leaned over the steering wheel, glancing up at the sky as he drove. He didn't say a single word or make a remark or comment.

Ramirez glanced behind him in the back seat at Sergent Foley, who was the only one talking. He was speaking rapidly into his radio receiver, covering his ears and occasionally looking to the sky. Ramirez could only wonder what was going thought the man's mind, even as experienced as Foley was.

The man sitting next to Foley was no different from himself or Dunn. Private Morgan, a newcomer as was continuing to stare up at the sky, watching the planes and listening to the constant shriek of sirens. Ramirez wouldn't doubt that he and Morgan weren't the only ones staring in awe at the sky. He couldn't see how anyone living in the suburbs wouldn't.

His mind instantly flashed to alert. _"My family! Anita! Luis! Elisabetta! Where are they? Is this happening on the west coast too?_... _If it is...-_

"Roger that overlord." Foley said, causing Ramirez thoughts to break. Foley pressed another button, causing his voice to fill his headset.

"All hunter units, this is Sergent Foley. We've just received word that a HVI's bird has just gone down. Command is diverting us to secure the HVI and escort him to the green zone. Hunter 2-3 through 2-5, divert to grid one, one six. HVI is codename raptor, call sign echo. Condition priory grade one, approximately three clicks to the east, over."

Foley tapped his headset and tapped Dunn on the shoulder. "Take 35 until you reach exit 57. That will get us close enough."

"Roger that." Dunn said quietly, turning off from the main column. Two more humvees followed him, each with four men inside.

"Sarge, you have a clue what's going on?" Dunn asked, looking back at Foley in concern.

"Not at the moment, but that's not important right now." Foley replied. "Right now we have a job to do, so lets get to work. Hooah?

Dunn silently nodded. "Hooah..."

Ramirez's eyes darkened on the picture of his girlfriend sitting on the dash, trying to not about his family. He tried to forget, but it was impossible. The idea that they could be captured or even worse kept circling in his mind.

He couldn't think about that right now. Right now he was a soldier, a Ranger. The best of the best. The elite. And they had a job to do. And finding 'Raptor' was number one on a list that he had no idea how long it was.

_"So this is what they meant by a baptism of fire..."_ Ramirez thought to himself, staring at the sky. _"Guess I'll know what that is pretty soon..."_

And sooner then he wanted too.

* * *

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	9. Kollinski

The sirens could still be heard as Sevanko ran along the wooden fence, panting as he clutched his AK in his hands. The sounds of gunfire were now more frequent, telling him that more and more paratroopers were beginning to get involved in engagements. An engagement now for him would be the worse thing that could happen. He knew it would only be a matter of time before he ran into something hostile. He just didn't want to be alone when he did.

As he ran along the tall wooden fence, he spotted a half open gate leading into the yard where he saw the fellow paratrooper touch down behind it. He reached the fence and pulled out his AK. Putting a hand on the door, he gently gave the door a slight push just enough to slip through. As he proceeded through, he quickly scanned the yard for any thing dangerous. Apart from a tree and a small garden, nothing was out of the ordinary. All except for a white parachute sitting in the middle.

Sevanko quickly rushed over to the white tarp. "Friendly?" He called, pointing his gun at a small mass underneath the chute.

"D-Don't shoot!"

Sevanko slightly lowered his gun at the sound and watched a man draped in the same dark red and tan fatigue as him, his arms raised in surrender. His face was pale as snow, even though it was covered in dirt, and his hands were shaking as he held them in the air.

"Virgo." Sevanko said, waiting for the countersign.

The thin man gave a pant and half sighed the word. "Leo."

Sevanko rushed to the man's side. "You okay?" He asked, helping cut the parachute cords still attached to the man's back.

"I'll live..." The man said weakly, reaching for his gun and equipment. "You are?"

"Sevanko." Sevanko replied. "Aleksandr Sevanko. Private."

"Corporal Yuri Kollinski." The man managed, grabbing his gun. "Drop was a little shaky for me, but I'll survive."

Sevanko looked to the sky, trying to see anyone else fall nearby. "You see anyone land near here?"

Kolliski shook his head. "No, I can't see jack...I can find them. Did you see them?"

"See what?" Sevanko asked, confused. Kolliski said nothing. Instead he was scanning the ground, searching through the grass.

"There you are." Kollinski said, picking up a slender and small item. Sevanko watched as the fellow paratrooper put on a small set of glasses, pressing the lenses and securing them snugly.

"Better." Kollinski said, blinking his eyes behind the glass lenses. "Much better."

"What unit are you from?" Sevanko asked, starring at the Kolliski's glasses.

"92nd." Kollinski replied as he grabbed his equipment and pack. "You?"

"98th..."Sevanko said, now thinking about his unit and how far he was from them.

_"92nd?...How far I'm I from Kaz or Pavel? I have to be at least two clicks from the landing zone If I'm meeting guys from the 92nd..."_

"You know where your unit is?" Kollinski asked, a look of concern in his eyes. Sevanko shook his head in submission.

"No. Not a clue." He replied, looking staring up at the sky. Planes were still flying over, still dropping more troops. This truly was an invasion. He hadn't gotten the scope of such an event until now. Reviewing it on paper and maps was one thing, but to see it unfold before his eyes, made him stand frozen in awe.

"You know how far from the objective we are?" Sevanko asked, glancing over at his new found comrade. "I couldn't make out any landmarks when I dropped."

Again, Kollinski shook his head. "I can't say for certain. I saw a large sports field to our east, but other then that, nothing."

Sevanko shook his head. "Let's go, we can't stay here."

Kolliski nodded in reply and picked up his gun. "Agree, but where do we go?"

"Anywhere but here." Sevanko replied, raising his gun. "Come on."

The two quickly fell in behind each other and headed for the exit to the yard, emerging out of the alley. As they came out, the alley split into two directions.

"Which way?" Sevanko asked, looking down each direction.

Kolliski pointed to his left. "That way, towards the street."

The two swiftly proceeded down the alley, guns raised in alert, looking for even the slightest movement out of the ordinary. As they proceeded out of the alley and out in the open, a suburban street stood in front of them, each with houses and shrubs lining the road. Again, two routes were open to them, and Sevanko still had no clue on how to proceeded.

"Now what?" Sevanko asked, looking back between the two directions in confusion. "Left or right?"

Kolliski sighed. "America is a maze. How can anyone live here without getting lost..."

Sevanko looked up at the sky, watching men continue to fall to the ground. "We have to run into someone sooner or later..."

"Hopefully someone friendly." Kolliski said, staring up at the sky. "Cause sooner or later might not be-

Suddenly, the sound of an approaching vehicle cause both to instantly freeze and stand in alert.

"Shit, get down..." Sevanko said, quickly taking cover behind a nearby shrubbery, Kolliski quickly doing the same.

"That isn't friendly." Kolliski whispered, looking through the dense brush. Sevanko silently nodded, watching the vehicles approach, slowly getting closer.

Sevanko watched as a column of American military vehicles drove only feet past their hiding place. There weren't that many, but each held four different American soldiers, plus one more manning a large turret mounted on the top in the middle.

He held his breath and didn't move a muscle as the American's thundered by. It seemed like an eternity until he could no longer hear the engines any longer, and it was only till then when he finally relaxed.

"Sevanko, can I ask you something?" Kolliski asked, staring at him.

"What?"

"Have you..." Kolliski started slowly, looking away. Before he said another word, he shook his head.

"Never mind." He replied quickly. "Forget it."

Sevanko nodded slightly. "Fine."

The sound of sirens was still screaming though the air, reminding both men that they still had a job to do. Sevanko wanted to find his unit as soon as possible, knowing his chances of survival would grow if he did. He wanted to make it out alive, and would do whatever it took until he did.

"Come on." Sevanko said, picking himself up to his feet. "Let's get moving.

The two new acquaintances dusted them selves up and began walking down the street, ears peered and alert to any sound. Sevanko glanced up at the sky, squinted up at the sun.

"You think we're lost?" Kollinski asked, staring up at the jets soaring over head.

Sevanko could help but give a grin. "We're not lost Yuri. We're in America."

* * *

Ramirez stared up at the sky, continuing to look up at hundreds of parachutes continuing to fall gracefully to earth, each carrying a single enemy soldier. Ramirez couldn't even begin to comprehend what was unfolding in front of his eyes, he had told himself he was dreaming. He wanted to believe he was dreaming. Or so he wanted to.

He continued to ride silently down the suburban street, the radio filled with chatter and orders. Everything was a blur, nothing seemed to be real anymore. Only half an hour ago, he had been walking out of a plane, planning on sitting on a base for three days. And now he was here, having to kill or be killed, and fight for his life.

He looked down at the picture of his girlfriend posted on the dashboard of the humvee. _"Sarah...Does she know what's happening right now..._

"We got a BTR, get out, get out!"

An explosion suddenly sent Ramirez back into his seat and his ears were ringing. He looked only a split second to see the Humvee that was in front of them was now a fiery twisted steel mess, the soldiers riding in it killed instantly. A large BTR was in front of the road, its large turret now directly aimed at him.

Without thinking, Ramirez grabbed his gun and Sarah's photo and quickly jumped out of the vehicle and sprinted to the safety behind a nearby house. He had barely enough time before the BTR opened up on his Humvee, explosive rounds causing it to explode in a matter of seconds. The concussion sent him flying forward into the dirt, causing him quickly to pick himself up and join the others now having taken cover.

"Team, this way!" Foley shouted, motioning everyone behind him. "Let's go, let's go!" Ramirez automatically fell in behind him, along with Dunn and Morgan, running as fast as they could, not knowing what was going to happen to himself next. He would just keep following orders, doing what ever it took to stay alive.

Foley put a hand to his earpiece radio as he ran through a suburban yard. "Overlord, this is hunter 2-1 actual, requesting air support, over!"

"Hunter 2-1, all air support is already engaged." Overlord replied. "Additional ground support is enroute to your position, but has encountered 'heavy' resistance, over."

"Roger that overlord." Foley answered, continuing to run through the yard. "Be advised, we've encountered heavy armor, and we're proceeding on foot, over!"

"Overlord copies all." Came the reply. "Good luck. Out."

"Sarge, did HQ just tell us to go F, ourselves?" Dunn asked between breaths as he ran, giving the sergeant a weird weird.

"Pretty much Corporal." Came Foley's reply, crossing a street and running behind another house. Ramirez shook his head.

_"Doubt any air support is going to be available for a while..." _Ramirez thought to himself, watching the enemy jets streak over head. _"If anything, air support isn't even going to exist with all it's current tasks..."_

Ramirez followed Foley along with Morgan and Dunn behind another suburban house, stacking up along the side. Foley peered around the corner, and motioned everyone forward slowly. Ramirez crouched next to the side, and watched as the BTR that had attack their convoy rumbled down the street in front of them, shooting every house that sat on the street.

"Don't engage that BTR!" Foley shouted, glancing back at the squad." They haven't acquired us!"

The BTR rumbled past and proceeded down the street. As soon as it was out of sight, Foley raised his hand and motioning everyone forward.

"Hang right, stay behind it!" Foley ordered, taking a right down the street and following down the street behind the large armored vehicle. Dunn and Morgan followed behind without question, and Ramirez reluctantly did the same, staying close with the squad.

They ran up a road where the BTR had drove, passing burning trees and houses as the squad ran. As they reached the top of the hill, Ramirez could see a crashed helicopter in the distance, smoke rising from its crash site.

"I got a visual on the crash site." Foley said. "That's were Raptor went down."

As soon as he said that, they squad had caught up to the BTR, now having stopped in front of a barricade. As the turret turned around, it spotted the four man squad, and instantly sent explosive rounds into the men's path.

Ramirez instantly jumped to cover, finding a nearby car and hiding behind it. He glanced over the silver hood to see the BTR's sides opening and infantry beginning to pour out.

"We're spotted!" Foley shouted. "Ramirez, use your smoke grenade! Dunn, Morgan, cover him!"

Ramirez quickly went to his equipment belt and reached for smoke grenade. Bullets suddenly riddled his cover, causing him to sink lower to avoid the deadly barrage of fire just inches over his head.

Dunn and Morgan quickly returned fire, causing a small break in the fire. The Russian soldiers and the BTR quickly snapped their attention from Ramirez to the two men, and quickly opened fire on the two, sending them into cover. Ramirez chucked the smoke grenade and it landed at the base of the BTR. There was a loud crack and soon gray smoke began to seep from the small canister, sending a blinding smoke and masking everything around the large armored vehicle.

"Everyone!, use the cover of the smoke and run to the alley!" Foley ordered, beginning to run towards a small side alley at the end of the street. Dunn and Morgan quickly picked themselves up and started up behind him. Ramirez looked to see the BTR begin to back up out of the smoke and head towards him. That single fact gave him the courage to run after the others and head for the alley. Either stay and die, or run and maybe not die somewhere else.

Ramirez rounded the corner into the alley and quickly peered down the narrow passage. A Russian Paratrooper was still in his parachute harness, trying to get out of it as they entered. Ramirez raised his gun at the man, but hesitated slightly, realizing his life was now in his hand.

He knew what he had to do. This was war. It was killed or be killed. And if he wanted to see his family and live through this, he would have to kill this man and any others that stood in his way. It was that plain simple. That's was they way it was.

Ramirez placed the red dot on the man's chest and placed his finger on the trigger. Without thinking about anything else, he squeezed on the trigger and waited for the round to exit his barrel and hit the man.

Jammed.

Ramirez quickly realized the error and reached for the side of the gun, trying vigorously to unjam the weapon.

"Shit..." Ramirez swore under his breath, trying in frustration to fix the gun. He glanced up at the alley, and looked to see two more paratroopers, now aiming their gun's right at him.

He instinctively jumped behind a nearby power box, bullets hitting the metal siding. Dunn quickly returned fire, killing one soldier and sending another back into cover. He switched his aim to the paratrooper still struggling in his harness, but as soon as he was about to pull the trigger, the Russian hiding in cover suddenly let loose a barrage of fire, now sending Dunn into cover.

Morgan and Foley instantly opened up on the man, dropping him to the ground dead.

"Out!" Foley and Morgan shouted simultaneously, beginning to reload their weapons.

Dunn switched his attention back on the paratrooper in the harness. "Mine." He declared, squeezing the trigger. The gun clicked an empty tone. Dry.

"Dammit!" Dunn said, putting down his SCAR and reaching for his sidearm. He brought it up to fire, but by that time, the paratrooper had already gotten free of his harness and had now gotten his rifle, now already aimed at a completely vulnerable Dunn. The Russian squeezed the trigger and the sound of a bullet pierced through the air.

Silence rang out, as the bullet hit it's mark. The Russian's neck streaked red as he staggered backward's, falling to the ground. He slumped dead against the concrete side, a pool of blood now forming at his body. Dunn stood stunned and looked behind him to see what had saved him. Ramirez was holding his SCAR, the barrel smoking.

Dunn heaved a sigh of relief. "Jesus...Thanks Ramirez...Thought I bought it back there..."

Ramirez didn't reply. Instead, he was staring at the man he had just killed.

_"I...I killed him...I killed a man..." _Ramirez thought, starring in silent horror in front of him._ "He's dead and I killed him...I killed him..._"

A sick feeling came over him. He wanted to throw up. He wanted to run away and leave everything. He just wanted to see he family...

_"No..._" Ramirez thought to himself._ "That isn't possible...I can't leave...Not now...Theres other peoples lives at risk...I can't afford to be afraid..."_

A hand was placed on his shoulder, causing Ramirez to turn around. Foley was staring at him, a serious look in his eyes. Ramirez could already tell what he was saying to him, without even speaking. He knew what he was thinking, and what he had just told himself. No words needed to be said.

"On me." Foley said, motioning everyone behind him. "We still have a job to do.

* * *

"So what made you join?"

Kollinski smiled as the two walked down a quiet alley, in conversation but still alert to the slightest disturbance. "I was drafted, since I did the reserve program two years back. You?"

"Same." Sevanko admitted, walking beside him. "I thought it would gave me easy benefits once I got out. But now with this call to arms, I've found myself back in uniform. Unfortunately..."

"So you don't want to be here as well..." Kollinski said, adjusting his glasses. "Family?"

"That and a wife to be." Sevanko replied, thinking about home. "Still, I just wish this-

The sound of an approaching vehicle caused the two to suddenly freeze and drop low. Sevanko listened as a loud engine began approaching them, one he recognized from the American humvee's.

"Let's go." Sevanko whispered, urging Kollinski to follow. The two took cover behind a grassy knoll, looking out at the entire street.

Sevanko spotted a lone humvee traveling down the quiet road, with at least five American soldiers inside it. Sevanko raised his gun and waited for it to close.

"Don't engage." Kollinski ordered, placing a hand on Sevanko's rifle. "There no need risking-

Suddenly, an explosion went off in front of the humvee, causing it to topple over and flip over to the side. Sevanko watched as the large vechile skidded to a stop and American soldiers began rushing out, trying to get a hold of what just happened.

Only seconds later, gunshots erupted from the oppisite side of the road, hitting the American's position. Three were killed instantly in the violent ambush, leaving the last two to fend for themselves. The two survivors were pinned down, hiding behind their crashed humvee, trying to figure the best course of action. Safe from the bullets, they were right in the sights of Sevanko and Kollinski.

"Clear shot." Sevanko whispered, raising his gun and picking his target. "I've got the one on the left."

Kollinski silently nodded and raised his rifle. "Squeeze on my one."

Sevanko took a deep breath and steadied himself, placing his finger on the trigger and sighting himself on his target.

"Three, two, one." Kollinski said, firing his gun.

Bullets erupted from their rifles, tearing into the American's exposed flank. The two men didn't have a chance to see what had hit them. In a matter of seconds, the two remaining American's were lifeless, dead beside the toppled humvee.

Sevanko slowly lowered his rifle and sighed. _"So, that was it then..."_

"Virgo!" A familiar voice called out, causing Sevanko to perk up.

"Leo!" Sevanko and Kollinski replied automatically, already knowing who was on the other side.

Over a dozen Russian paratroopers suddenly appeared from the grassy brush on the oppisite side of the road, causing a wave of relief. Sevanko and Kollinski instantly rushed out of their positions and met the large group, a feeling of comfort now that they were surrounded by more men. As Sevanko looked around for any sign of Kaz or Pavel, his eye focused on one familiar face: Colonel Norman Sedusky.

The colonel recognized him and immediately greeted Sevanko. "Private Sevanko. Glad of you to join us."

"Happily sir." Sevanko replied, shaking the colonel's hand. "Have you seen Sargent Kazaksolov?"

"Sorry." Colonel Sedusky replied. "Theses are the only men we've I've run into."

The Colonel looked over at Sevanko's right, noticing Kollinski. "And who might you be?"

"Corporal Yuri Kollinski sir." Kollinski replied, adjusting his glasses. "92nd Guards."

Sedusky nodded. "I see. Well Corporal, you can tag along with us for now until we find your unit?"

"Speaking of sir, what is our current objective?" Sevanko asked, still unsure of what was going on.

The colonel gave a small grin and looked toward the east.

"Washington."

* * *

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